Toms River Man Had Child Porn On His Phone, Prosecutor Says

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man has been arrested on child pornography charges after authorities investigating a tip found images of child sex abuse on his phone, authorities said.

Jeremey P. Howell, 34, was arrested Thursday and charged with possession of child sexual abuse material, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Authorities investigating a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone was uploading images of child sexual abuse material to the internet traced the activity to an IP address associated with a Toms River home, the prosecutor's office said.

The person uploading the images was ultimately identified as Howell, authorities said.

A search warrant was executed at the home Thursday and an initial forensic examination of Howell’s cellular phone led to the discovery of several items of child sexual abuse material, authorities said.

He was arrested and taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he is being held pending a detention hearing.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Toms River Police Department and its Emergency Services Unit, New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children collaborated in the investigation.